Fishing Tour in Bhutan - 11 days

Fly over to the dragon kingdom, the country’s only airport, in the beautiful Paro valley passing by clear Mountains of 5500 meters to Paro. This flight offers you a mesmerizing aeronautical feat and offers exciting descent into the kingdom. Paro is a beautiful valley and is home to many of Bhutan’s oldest monasteries and temples, and the country’s only international airport. Bhutanese people in their striking national dress, provides a breath-taking first impression. The flight to Paro is one of the most spectacular mountain flights in the world, with a constantly changing panorama of some of the highest mountains on earth including Mount Everest, Mount Kanchenjunga, and Mount Chomolhari and Jitchu Drake peak. Paro Airport has been described as “the most difficult commercial airport in the world”. 1980 meter runway length presents a double challenge, due to the extremely low density altitude at the site. So, only a handful of well experienced pilots are certified to operate commercial airplanes here thus, making least number of flights in a day. After immigration and custom formalities, check out from the departure lounge. There you will meet one of the representatives of Nature Trail Travels & Tours, Trekking & Expedition who will greet you and then escort you to your respective hotel where you will stay overnight. A fifteen minute drive follows the narrow winding road to our hotel which is a traditional Bhutanese building with attractive gardens and an exceptionally peaceful atmosphere. After lunch, at the hotel there will be an orientation on Bhutanese etiquette and description about the trip by our guide.

In the afternoon, we will visit the Ta-Dzong which was built in 1651 as a watch tower for the Rinpung Dzong. Since 1967, the watch tower has served as the home of the National Museum and holds a fascinating collection of art, ancient relics and religious artifacts. Next in line is Rinpung Dzong built in 1646 by Shabdrung, the first spiritual and temporal ruler of Bhutan, the Dzong houses the monastic body of Paro and its district administration. If there is time, we will walk along the small main street of Paro in the evening with its typically Bhutanese shops and small lodges. Altitude at Paro – 2250 meters. Overnight at hotel in Paro.

After breakfast, you will be provided with your fishing gear. Then proceed towards Paro River and continue fishing till lunch. After lunch, drive towards Damchu. Enroute you can stop for a visit to Tachogang Lhakhang. While the Tibetan master was meditating here, he had a vision of an emanation of Avalokiteshvara and decided to build a temple as well as an iron suspension bridge at this location.  A new temple at Tachogang was built in the seventeenth century by the Fourth Druk Desi Tendzin Rabgye, as the original was destroyed after it served as the main seat for the Five Groups of Lamas, a coalition of local leaders who had opposed the Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel.  The bridge is made of Iron meshes which dates back to the 14th century. It was built by Thangtong Gyalpo, who was also known as iron chain maker. He was great Buddhist yogi, a physician, blacksmith, architect, and a pioneering civil Engineer. He is said to have built 58 iron chain suspension bridges around Bhutan & Tibet.  You will enjoy walking in the bridge as you can see the torrential river flowing right underneath your feet. The original iron chain is now supplemented by a chain link sheet so you don’t fall through. Big iron chains are embedded in the masonry structure to give enough strength to the bridge. Overnight at camp.

Drive for about 15 minutes in order to commence trek to Jili Dzong. Today, we will have to make our way up gradually along the ancient trade route till Jili La Pass (3490m). Then it’s just a short gentle descend to our camp in a yak pasture (3450m). If we have time and if you are not tired with day’s walk, we can walk along the ridge that is just above our camp for the stunning view of mountains and the valleys. Overnight: Camp at Jili Dzong.

After breakfast, continuing our walk we make a short climb. The trail gets level in the meadow along the ridge for some time before you walk downhill for a while to climb through thick alpine forest to a saddle at 3590 meter. The trail then follows the ridge, making several ups and downs, along one side of the ridge to the other, heading towards north east to our camp at Jangchup Lakha, another yak pasture. Enroute you are likely to see or hear some monal pheasants, and if the weather is clear, you will be rewarded with the breathtaking views of the Mount Jomolhari and its associates. Overnight camp at Jangchu Lakha.

On this day, we will have a short steep climb through the forest of junipers that starts right from the camp. Once the steep climb is done, the trail gets level for a while and then it goes gradually up and down through the thicket of dwarf rhododendrons leading ultimately to Jangchu La (4180m) before you make a big drop to the camp at Jimilangtsho Lake. The route descends from Tshokam(Camping spot in Jangchu Lakha) through the forest to the foot of a valley and crosses the upper part of the Bemang Rong Chhu (3540m). After several ups and downs through the forest and rocks you reach Jimilang Tsho. The name of this lake means Sand Ox Lake, named for a bull that emerged from the lake and joined the cattle of a family that uses the area as a summer grazing ground. This lake is known for its giant sized trout, and if we get to the camp early, you may enjoy fishing for a while. Overnight camp at Jimilangtsho.

Jimilang Tsho is an isolated lake which rests at an elevation of 3,870 metres (12,700 ft.) at the apex of the Druk Path Trail. It lies in the Western Bhutan. Jimilang Tsho means “Sand Ox Lake,” named after a legendary bull that emerged from the lake and joined the cattle of a family that uses the area as a grazing ground during the summer. Also called Bimelang Tsho, this sacred lake is a meditation site. The lake is known for its giant sized trout, and fishing here is allowed with permit. This lake has a pleasant camping place at its end hence is used by the trekkers of Druk Path Trek for the camp. on a clear day the view of the mountains and valley are simply stunning.

Walk down to the southern end of the lake and then climb through dwarf rhododendrons till the trail becomes a little flat to get to another lake known as Jahnye Tsho. It is so rare to get fish from this lake but if you catch one, it’s going to be a big one. Perhaps we will give a try for the trophy for about an hour or two before we continue our climb to the next camp. The route passes through a pilgrimage site, Phajoding Monastery and Thujidrag Goemba (monastery), a meditation center that hangs on the side of a precipitous rock face. From here, the path gets much wider as it meanders uphill through the dwarf rhododendrons till the summit near by the camp. As we climb up, if we take a look back to the lake when the rhododendrons are in blossom, this place with the lake gets so beautiful and special that it takes a long time to forget. You may come across some yak herder camps where you will have the opportunity to get a glimpse of a nomad’s life. Also on a clear day from here, we can see the most part of the trail that we trekked.

Simkota Tsho is a lake at an altitude of 4110 meter. It lies in the Western Bhutan, south of Jimilang Tsho along the Druk Path Trail at 4,090 metres (13,420 ft). This lake is used by the trekkers of Druk Path Trek for the camp. Simkota is also a fishing spot. This day is spent well fishing in the Simkota Lake. We can organize catch and release fishing permit at your service.

Short gradual climb along the rocky trail till it gets level for a while and then there is a short descent before you climb up to Phume La (4210m) the highest point on this trek. From here, it’s just an hour walk to the edge of the ridge which is marked by the Chorten and a grove of fluttering prayer flags. On a clear day, one can have the views of long chain of snow covered mountains, and Thimphu valley underneath. From here, we have a long downhill walk to Thimphu passing Thujidrag temple, a retreat center that hangs on the side of a precipitous rock face and some temples at Phajoding (3870m). Overnight at hotel in Thimphu.

Today, we will take a short drive towards north to Dodena for your last fishing in Bhutan. This is one of the most beautiful fishing spot along Thimphu River. In the afternoon, proceed to Paro which takes about 2 hours along the national highway. Overnight – hotel in Paro.

After breakfast in the hotel, drive to the airport in time to catch up your onward flight.